It's a bit of a downer this week, as Nick, Sam & Martin get together to talk about at least one hosts' least-favourite Tom Waits song so far. We have a discussion about the success and failure of simplicity in music, as well as some of the complex history of the 1960s calypso hit Yellow Bird.
Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Mockin' Bird, The Early Years vol 2, Tom Waits (1993)
Yellow Bird, Cherokeely Swings, Keely Smith (1962)
Choucoune Story and Song, With English Translation of Lyrics By Dr. Dady Chery
Mockin Bird, Step Right Up - Waits Tribute, Tindersticks (2004)
Blackbird, The Beatles/The White Album, The Beatles (1968)
Choucoun, Meringue & Konpa (Haiti 1952-1962), Emerante de Pradines (c. 1951)
Chaucoun, single, The Tarriers (1958)
Yellow Bird, Calypso Holiday, The Norman Luboff Choir (1957)
… and on the topic of bird songs, Martin wanted to give honorable mention to Skylark, Laughing on the Outside, Aretha Franklin (1963)
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